Page 13 of Sex & Cigarettes

“Goodbye, Ainsley.” Raul presses his lips to my hair, and I cringe at the contact. He lets me go, and I dash to my husband unable to hold back my tears when his arms wrap around me.

Abel squeezes me against his side. “Hey, wife ‘o mine. You okay?”

“Yeah.” I croak. “I am now.”

Axel makes it to us. I glance at Oaklyn—Andrea whatever her name is wanting to give her a piece of my mind, but she doesn’t move, and her chest is still. I don’t think she’s breathing.

“Go to Uno,” Abel whispers. “Now.” He releases me the moment Axel drops the whore inside the foyer.

“What did you do?” Raul cries, dropping to his knees.

I watch it all go down unable to move. I didn’t think Raul was capable of tears or feelings, but I hear the pain etched in his voice and witness it spreading from his eyes and through the rest of his facial features.

“You said you’d bring me my sister.” He runs a hand along her neck and over her chest.

“I never said the stupid cunt would be breathing,” Abel growls.

“I’ll kill you for this.” He goes for his weapon, but Abel is faster, shooting him between the eyes with one fluid movement.

I gasp, covering my mouth with my hand. Raul drops dead in slow motion.

Chills fan up and down my spine.

“Go, Ainsley,” my husband barks, and I turn away, running toward Uno as more Rebels and Devils emerge from the shadows with their guns drawn.

I wait for the bloodshed and mayhem, but nothing happens. Raul’s men lay down their weapons and surrender. With their king gone and no heir in place they can either join Abel, die, or flee.

“Go with Coralie, darlin.” Uno passes me off to a woman I’ve never met, but I know her name. She’s Axel’s ex-girlfriend. “Get to the clubhouse.”

“I’m not going anywhere unless it’s with Abel.” A sharp pain shoots through my lower back, and I nearly drop to my knees. I suck in a breath and close my eyes.

“Fuck,” Uno mutters and takes off toward my husband.

“Are you okay?” Coralie puts an arm around me, and I lean into her not knowing or caring if she hates me.

I breathe in and out. A tight quickening sensation moves through my belly. “I think I’m in labor.”

“Holy shit, girl. We gotta get you to a hospital.”

Chapter 8

Ainsley

“Is this for real or am I only dreaming?” I stare up at Abel as he strokes my cheek.

“Not dreamin’, babe. Never leaving your side again. Or this little guy.” He bends to kiss the top of our son’s head.

Last night Coralie along with Abel, and Axel following behind rushed me to the hospital with minutes to spare. My son, our son, Smith came screaming into the world in the emergency room. Healthy as can be all ten fingers and toes. Dark blue eyes.

“You good, momma?”

“Yeah. Better than good. I have all I need right here in this room. I just wish things could’ve gone differently. Oaklyn and Raul, I just still have questions.”

“I’ll fill in any gaps I can. Whatever you need. Name it.”

“How did Axel get here?”

Abel tenses at the mention of his brother. “Andera or whatever used her connections to get him out.”

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